Diversity Club Thrives

In A School Where Women Take Mechanical Engineering And Young Men Hairdressing, The Idea Seemed Natural

February 23, 2006|By DANIELA ALTIMARI; Courant Staff Writer

MIDDLETOWN — Molly Seely can't recall who first proposed creating a diversity club at Vinal Tech.

``But as soon as they did, everyone jumped up and said, `Yup, we need it,''' recalled Seely, a senior from Cromwell who is the group's president.

After all, the vocational-technical school is a fairly diverse place, not just racially and by gender, but also geographically. The roughly 700 students come from 23 communities, ranging from Middletown to rural towns such as Durham and Deep River to suburbs such as Rocky Hill.

``They come from all over and they don't know each other until they get here,'' said one of the club's faculty advisers, language arts teacher Lyn Caliendo.

Formed about a year ago, the club's approximately 30 active members are determined to break stereotypes, Seely said. That's especially important in a school where young women take mechanical engineering courses and young men are enrolled in the hairdressing program.

Members of the club have led workshops and seminars for Vinal's students and faculty, thanks to a pair of small grants. Last year, it sent a delegation of about eight to a regional conference on diversity at Quinnipiac University; this year, the club hopes to send 25.

Its most recent project is a contest tied to the Olympics: Each class decorated a door in honor of a different nation competing in the Winter Games. The students had to research the country they were assigned and come up with a few quick facts to display.

``The Olympics are probably one of the best examples of diversity,'' Seely said.

As they strolled down the halls inspecting the doors, Seely and another club member, sophomore Anje Amichia from Middletown, said they were pleased with the reaction the club has received.